Anchorage for excavator track-lines.



WALTER FERRIS AND PETER, NORDSTROM, OF MILWAUKEE, AND WERNER LEHMAN, OF SOUTH MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNORS TO BUCYRUS COMPANY, OF SOUTH MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN. 1

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 15, 1918;.

Application filed April 6, 1917. Serial No. 160,113.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WALTER FERRIS and PETER NORDSTROM and WERNER LEHMAN, being citizens of the United States, the first two named residing at Milwaukee, the last named residing at South Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, (whose post-oflice address is care of Bucyrus Company, South Milwaukee, VVisconsin,) have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Anchorage for EX- cavator Track-Lines, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in anchorage for excavator track lines and is directed more generally to improvements in the controlling and operating mechanism whereby the cable, tracks, dragging mechanism and the like are supported and operated. One of the objects of our invention is to provide means for supporting, manipulating and controlling the cable track along which the excavating member travels and by which it is supported. Another object is to provide an efiective assembly, the controlling mechanism for all the parts, the drag line engine and associated parts being all mounted on a track carried car which supports the tower. Other objects of our invention will appear from time to time in the specification.

Our invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the tower; and

Fig. 2 is a detailed side elevation of a part of the track line tightening mechanism.

Like parts are indicated by like letters in all the figures.

The track A resting on the cross ties A A carry the usual type of cross trucks A A which support the car frame A upon which is a housing A containing the machinery, driving and operating parts not here shown. v

The carriage or car frame A carries a tower made up of the two upright parallel members B, B. These members B, B are tied together at the'top by the cross member B and steadied and supported by the diagonal stay or support members B extending upwardly from the body of the car. The short strut B supports the central portion of the stays B and also furnishes a foundation for the lower end of the track 13*, the upper end of which is carried by the stay B The drag line C runs over the sheave C passing down to the drum D, t 1e driving and controlling mechanism of which is not here shown. The inboard end of the track cable C terminates at the bridle D The cables D D pass over a sheave D D on the bridle and around a sheave D, to the hoisting drum D on the frame of the car. The sheave D supports a cable D This cable passes over a guide quadrant D having a series of cable rollers D and is anchored on a piston rod D attached to a piston D in the cylinder D. The down side of this cylinder is connected to a steam boiler so that the pressure of the steam in the boiler tends to hold the cylinder and piston in the relative position shown. The compression in the cylinder is such that any tension great enough to tip the tower over will be great enough to overcome the steam pressure and to make the sheave D travel up. The operator observing this will cease to wind up on the drum D and thus all danger will be obviated.

The bridle D is supported by a cable E which passes over the block E is guided by the sheave E passes over the sheave E on the counterweight E and is anchored on the stay B along the guide B and has for its function to support the bridle when the weight of the track cable is insufiicient to do so.

We have not illustrated the engine controlling devices and the like specifically because.

they are of a well-known type and formno part of our invention. It will of course be evident that any suitable type of mechanism to get the desired result will do.

It will be evident that while we have shown in our drawings an operative device,

The counterweight is free to travel still many changes might be made bothv in 1 size, shape and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of our invention and we wish therefore, that our drawings be regarded as in a sense diagrammatic.

The use and operation of our invention are p as follows 7 The head tower which we have more specifically illustrated travels along the track on the opposed side of the excavation and car-' 'ries all of the operating machinery.

It will be understood that part of the excavating is done by tightening and loosening the track cable. The windlass shown is provided with a double rope tackle for drawing in or )a i11 out on the trackline but ifthe power available is likely to be exceedingly large, there is a possibility that the operator may so tension the track line as to tip the tower over.

Automatic means are providedto prevent tipping the tower by application of force to the track line. These means take the form of the steam cylinder shown. If the tension in the line becomes great enought to tip the tower over, the cylinder will be operated automatically, the piston pulling down against the pressure of the steam inthc cylinder, and the operator will see that the cable is paying out. This will warn him that he is exerting too great a tension in the track/line and he will then stop.

The weight of the tackle and the resistance to movement of the rope through the sheave is sometimes very great. Under some circumstances the weight ofthe track line is not sufiicient when it is to be paid out to pull up on the bridle. The counterweightshown has sufiicient tension to pull the tackle out against the frictional resistance so that the tightening tackle will not become tangled when the track cable is slack.

We claim:

1. The combination with 'a trackline of means for drawing in. on it comprising a winding drum, a cable and a series of sheaves, some of themanchorcd, others directly attachedto the end ofthe track line, the cable being wound about them and means for releasing the anchored sheave whenthe tension in the track line exceeds a predetermined amount.

2. Thecombination with a track line of means for drawing in on it, comprising. a winding drum, a cable and a. series of;

sheaves, some of them anchored, others directly attached to the end of the track line, the cable being wound about them and means for releasing the anchored sheave when the tension in the track line exceeds a predetermined amount, said anchorage comprising a cylinder, a piston thereinand a connectionbetween it andthe sheave.

3;. The combination with a track line of means for drawing in on it comprising a winding drum, a cable and a series of sheaves, some of them anchored, others d1- rectly attached'to the end of the track line, thecable being wound about them and means for releasing the anchored sheave when the t61'lS101'l'l11 the track-hne exceeds a predetermined amount, saidhnchorage comprising a cylinder, a piston therein, a connection between it and the sheave, an indicating quadrant,a series of rollers mounted on the quadrant, the cable being guided bv said rollers between the sheaves and the piston.

4:. The combination of atrack line of means for drawing in on it comprising a winding drum, a cable and a series of sheaves,,so me of them anchored, others directly attached to the end of the track line, the cable being wound about them and means for moving the anchored sheave forwardly. when thetension in the track line exceeds a predetermined amount.

5. The combination of a' track line of means for drawing in on it, comprising a winding drum, a cable and aseries of sheaves, some of them anchored, others directly attachedto-the end: ofthe track line, the cable being wound about them and means for releasing the anchored sheave when the tension in the drag line exceeds a predetermined amount, said anchorage comprising a cylinder, apiston therein and a connection. between it and the sheave.

6. The combination of a track line of means for drawing in on it comprising. a winding drum, a. cable and a series of sheaves, some of themanchored, others directly attachedto the end ofthe track: line, the cable being wound about. them and. means for releasing the anchored sheave when the tension in the track line exceeds a predetermined amount, said anchorage comprising a cylinder, a piston therein, a. connection between it and the sheave, a quadrant, a series of rollers mounted on the quad rant, the cableb'eing'guided by said rollers. between the sheaves and the piston.

7. The combination with an excavating towerand a track line of a sheave over which the track linepasses abridle to whichthe inner end of the track lineis fastened, sheaves-mounted thereon, othersheaves separately mounted in a separate, loosely suspended bridle, a cable wound about the sheaves and anchored on one ofthem, means for drawing in on the cable andiseparate means for releasingtension on the sheaves.

8. The combination with an excavating tower and a track line of a sheave over which'the track linepasses, a bridle to which the inner end of the track line is fastened, sheaves mountedthereon, other sheaves separately mounted in'a separate, loosely suspended bridle, a cable wound about the sheavesand anchored on one of them, means for drawing men" the cable and se aratemeans for releasing tensionaon the s eaves consisting of a cylinder a piston operating therein, direct connection between the cylinder Q and the I sheaves, and means for maintaining pressure against the piston.

95 Inan excavator towerthe combination and separate automatic means for releasing tension on the sheaves.

10. In an excavator tower the combination of a track line of a bridle suspended on the end thereof sheaves mounted on the bridle, sheaves separately mounted below the bridle, an anchored cable wound about the sheaves and means for exerting tension thereon, to draw the two sets of sheaves together.

11. In an excavator tower the combination of a track line of a bridle suspended on the end thereof sheaves mounted on the bridle, sheaves separately mounted below the 1 bridle, an anchored cable wound about the sheaves and means for exerting tension thereon to draw the two sets of sheaves together and means for releasing tension consisting of a cylinder, a piston operating therein, direct connection between piston and sheaves and means for maintaining pressure against the piston.

12. In an excavator tower the combination of a track line, a bridle suspended on the end thereof, sheaves mounted on the bridle, sheaves separately mounted below the bridle, with means for drawing the two sets of sheaves together and separate means for supporting the bridle when the tension on the track line is reduced.

13. The combination with a track line of means for drawing in on it, comprising a winding drum, a cable and a series of sheaves, some of them anchored, others attached to the end of the track line, the cable being wound about them, and means for releasing the anchored sheaves when the tension in the track line exceeds a predetermined amount, said means comprising a cylinder, a piston therein and a connection between it and the sheaves consisting of a cable attached thereto.

14. In an excavator tower the combination of a track line, a bridle suspended on the end thereof, sheaves mounted on the bridle, sheaves separately mounted below the bridle, with means for drawing the sheaves together and separate means for supporting the bridle when the tension on the track line is reduced consisting of a cable attached thereto, a sheave over which it is led, a weight suspended on the cable and a track on which the weight slides.

Signed at South Milwaukee, Wisconsin, this 30th day of March, 1917.

WALTER FERRIS. PETER NORDSTROM. Vitnesses:

E. J. WILKIE, W. PLEHN.

WERNER LEI-IMAN. Witnesses:

RALPH SANT, G. M. CHRISTENSEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

